About 20 community members, including Red Lodge Schools’ teachers, staff and parents met with the three potential Superintendent candidates, March 10. There to answer questions in an informal setting, Superintendent Elliott Crump of Roberts Schools, Superintendent/Principal Dennis Gerke from Centerville Schools and Robert Osborne, Superintendent of Broadview School District discussed a variety of topics with attendees.

Popular topics included: the Common Core, extracurricular activities, technology, their background in education and why they want to work in Red Lodge School District. After touring the schools earlier in the day, all three were impressed with the facilities, the staff and the kids.

“Red Lodge has a fantastic staff and administration and I think they are moving in the right direction,” said Crump, who has had 13 years experience in education. When asked if he would make any major changes, he replied, “I can’t think of major things I’d change. Hopefully just continue what they’re doing and expand.”

Because the candidates currently lead smaller districts compared to Red Lodge, Gerke and Osborne noted their professional goals to oversee larger schools and to be able to pass on more responsibility to Principals. “I want to just be a Superintendent,” Gerke stated. “I like budgeting and having flexibility. I love this area, it’s my 31st year in education and being a Superintendent is what I really want to do.”

After the meet and greet, the Red Lodge School Board interviewed all three candidates and are pending on a decision.